Man sentenced for 1996 rape of Covington Co. girl

More than 17 years have passed since a young girl in Covington County was raped, but she's finally getting some justice through the legal system.

Thursday, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange's office confirmed that a suspect was sentenced for the crime against the then 15-year-old girl.

The AG's office says the crime was not immediately prosecuted in the 90s because of
"family concerns at the time..." The victim later asked the AG's office
to reopen the case, which it took before a grand jury in 2011.

The suspect in the case is Milton Darrell Freeman, as is identified as the victim's brother-in-law. At trial, Freeman admitted to the crime, according to the AG's office. He was subsequently convicted in August.

The attorney general's office says Freeman was sentenced by the Covington County Circuit Court to 65 months in prison. However, the sentenced was suspended for a term of five years with supervised probation.

Freeman, whom court records show is a resident of Florida, will have to register as a sex offender as part of the sentence. He is also forbidden to contact the victim or any girls under age 18 who are not family members.

He'll also have to pay court costs and fees, plus a $100 fine to the Alabama Victims Compensation Commission.

"After many years, justice has been achieved
for the young victim who suffered from the criminal acts of this man," said
Attorney General Strange in a written statement. "There is no statute of limitations for sex
crimes against children, and it is appropriate that this man will finally be
held to account and punished for the harm he caused."